Octopus!

This documentary portrays Octopus as an incredible, diverse, beautiful genius of an animal and then condones the consumption of said animal and has a man smashing an octopus against a rock to eat? How? This isn't consumption out of necessity and the described climates are more than appropriate to grow other food and find other sources of nutrition. There is also no real through line or agenda, and the documentary dances about any substantial points with humour rather than using it as a chance to educate and save this animal and its habitat. Overall a flat documentary that contradicts itself throughout. Terrible and avoid if you genuinely care about animals.

My only disappointment with this program is that it is only two episodes. I longed for more but maybe they told the whole story in just two.

I'm not certain why but actor Tracy Morgan has a running commentary role through both episodes. Maybe just to make it less serious and scientific?

Anyway most of us who have paid attention through life know about the Octopus, most of us know that it is a very popular food in many places. And some of us already knew that they are very intelligent.

All of that, and more, is covered in this documentary. I found it totally absorbing. It is strange to me, the Octopus has a very short life. They grow to adulthood rather quickly, the adult male fertilizes a female then she kills him. Then the female finds a safe rock cave underwater and stays there for months to care for the babies developing in their individual sacs, never eating and gradually wasting away. Shortly after the babies complete their development she dies.

A totally educational and entertaining series. I wanted more.

You'd think it would be hard to spoil a comprehensive examination of the wondrous mystery of Cephalopods. But this misconceived over-production got in the way. That's a shame as when the various real life researchers, experts, the just obsessed and even the fishermen were allowed to talk I was hooked. As for the wealth of extraordinary footage well, words simply fail.

The creatures are the stars of this film. Why anybody would ever want to watch Sci-Fi I do not know, it is all risible by comparison to an Octopus.

But the fatuous content of much of the narration, written as though addressing children or idiots, was compounded by a palpable and misguided impression of its own comic worth, It was delivered by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who was not its author) in a sort of laconic knowing style that over the course of the 2 hours became infuriating. I found the ponderous animated sections on 'Doris' entirely redundant.

I'd still highly recommend it, maybe my star rating does not.

Well, what can I say?

You had me at octopus - with an exclamation mark.

This series knows exactly what it's doing from the get-go: grabbing your attention with a dash of whimsy and then reeling you into its curious, underwater world.

I just watched the first episode and it's a visual treat. The show strikes a unique tone - part science documentary, part abstract dreamscape - brought to life with beautifully stylized CGI that has the charm of stop-motion. The textures feel tactile, almost handmade, which suits the strange and enigmatic nature of its eight-armed subject.

Adding to the hypnotic appeal is the narration by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She delivers each line with calm wit and understated curiosity, guiding us through the inky depths with both respect and playfulness.

If the rest of the series keeps this balance of visual creativity and gentle storytelling, I'm in for all eight episodes - one for each leg, of course.

If you're a film junkie like myself then you'll appreciate the time and effort that Niharika Desai and everyone else put in to make this happen.

I enjoyed it. Not my place to say where it could have been improved. It is what it is.

Thank you.